Semiconductor memory apparatus for preventing disturbance

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor memory apparatus includes an access line control circuit. The access line control circuit applies a selected bias voltage to a selected access line coupled with a target memory cell and applies a first unselected bias voltage to an unselected access line adjacent to the selected access line. A second unselected bias voltage is applied to an unselected access line not adjacent to the selected access line.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/206,901, filed on Nov. 30, 2018, and claimspriority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean application number10-2018-0035215, filed on Mar. 27, 2018, in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

Various embodiments generally relate to integrated circuit technologyand, more particularly, to a semiconductor apparatus and a semiconductormemory apparatus.

2. Related Art

Electronic apparatuses may include a large number of electroniccomponents. Among the electronic apparatuses, a computer system mayinclude many electronic components constructed by semiconductors. Thecomputer system may include a memory apparatus. DRAM is being widelyused as a general memory apparatus because it has advantages in that itis able to store and output data at a high and constant speed and iscapable of random access. However, because DRAM includes memory cellseach constructed using a capacitor, DRAM has a volatile characteristicin that it loses stored data when power is cut off. In order to overcomethis disadvantage of DRAM, flash memory has been developed. Becauseflash memory includes memory cells each constructed using a floatinggate, flash memory has a nonvolatile characteristic in that it is ableto retain stored data even when power is cut off. However, flash memoryhas a disadvantage in that data storage and output speed is slower thanfor DRAM and is difficult to perform random access.

Recently, next-generation memory apparatuses, such as phase change RAM,magnetic RAM, resistive RAM, and ferroelectric RAM have been developed.The next-generation memory apparatuses have advantages in that they havea nonvolatile characteristic and are able to operate at high speed. Inparticular, PRAM includes memory cells which are formed using achalcogenide compound and may store data by changing a resistance valueof each memory cell.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a semiconductor memory apparatus may include an accessline control circuit. The access line control circuit may be configuredto apply a selected bias voltage to a selected access line coupled witha target memory cell and configured to apply a first unselected biasvoltage to an unselected access line adjacent to the selected accessline. A second unselected bias voltage may be applied to an unselectedaccess line not adjacent to the selected access line.

In an embodiment, a semiconductor memory apparatus may include a bitline control circuit and a word line control circuit. The bit linecontrol circuit may be configured to apply a selected bit line biasvoltage to a selected bit line coupled with a target memory cell andapply a first unselected bit line bias voltage to an unselected bit lineadjacent to the selected bit line. The word line control circuit may beconfigured to apply a selected word line bias voltage to a selected wordline coupled with the target memory cell and apply a first unselectedword line bias voltage to an unselected word line adjacent the selectedword line. A second unselected bit line bias voltage may be applied toan unselected bit line not adjacent to the selected bit line. Further, asecond unselected word line bias voltage may be applied to an unselectedword line not adjacent to the selected word line.

In an embodiment, a semiconductor memory apparatus may include a bitline control circuit and a word line control circuit. The bit linecontrol circuit may be configured to apply a selected bit line biasvoltage to a selected bit line coupled with a target memory cell andapply a bit line voltage, having a voltage level between a firstunselected bit line bias voltage and a second unselected bit line biasvoltage, which is higher in proportion to a distance from the selectedbit line to an unselected bit line to which the bit line voltage isapplied. The word line control circuit may be configured to apply aselected word line bias voltage to a selected word line coupled with thetarget memory cell and apply a word line voltage, having a voltage levelbetween a first unselected word line bias voltage and a secondunselected word line bias voltage, which is lower in proportion to adistance from the selected word line to an unselected word line to whichthe word line voltage is applied.

In an embodiment, a semiconductor memory apparatus may include aplurality of global bit lines, a plurality of bit line groups, and a bitline control circuit. The plurality of bit line groups may each includea plurality of bit lines coupled with the plurality of global bit lines,respectively. The bit line control circuit may be configured to selectone of the plurality of bit line groups based on a bit line selectsignal and apply different bit line bias voltages to the plurality ofglobal bit lines.

In a further embodiment, the different bit line bias voltages mayinclude at least two of a selected bit line bias voltage, a firstunselected bit line bias voltage, a second unselected bit line biasvoltage, and a third unselected bit line bias voltage. The firstunselected bit line bias voltage may be lower than the third unselectedbit line bias voltage, the third unselected bit line bias voltage may belower than the second unselected bit line bias voltage, and the secondunselected bit line bias voltage may be lower than the selected bit linebias voltage.

In an embodiment, a semiconductor memory apparatus may include aplurality of global word lines, a plurality of word line groups, and aword line control circuit. The plurality of word line groups may eachinclude a plurality of word lines coupled with the plurality of globalword lines, respectively. The word line control circuit may beconfigured to select one of the plurality of word line groups based on aword line select signal and apply different word line bias voltages tothe plurality of global word lines.

In a further embodiment, the different word line bias voltages mayinclude at least two of a selected word line bias voltage, a firstunselected word line bias voltage, a second unselected word line biasvoltage, and a third unselected word line bias voltage. The firstunselected word line bias voltage may be higher than the thirdunselected word line bias voltage, the third unselected word line biasvoltage may be higher than the second unselected word line bias voltage,and the second unselected word line bias voltage may be higher than theselected word line bias voltage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration and operation of asemiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram illustrating a semiconductor memory apparatus anda memory cell array in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating an operation of a semiconductormemory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating an operation of a semiconductormemory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating a semiconductor memory apparatus anda memory cell array in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a diagram illustrating a memory card including thesemiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram to assist in the explanation of anelectronic apparatus including a semiconductor memory apparatus inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram illustrating a data storage deviceincluding a semiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 13 shows a block diagram illustrating an electronic systemincluding a semiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a semiconductor memory apparatus for preventing ormitigating disturbances is described below with reference to theaccompanying drawings through various example embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration and operation of asemiconductor memory apparatus 1 in accordance with an embodiment. InFIG. 1, the semiconductor memory apparatus 1 may include a memory cell110. The memory cell 110 may include a resistive element 111 and aswitching element 112. The resistive element 111 of the memory cell 110may have different resistance states depending on a current and/or avoltage applied during a write operation. For example, the memory cell110 may have a high resistance state and/or a reset state and may have alow resistance state and/or a set state. The memory cell 110 may storedifferent data depending on a resistance state. In an embodiment, thememory cell 110 may be changed to a plurality of three or more states,and may store multi-bit data of two or more bits. The switching element112 may be turned on when a current equal to or larger than a thresholdvalue is applied to the memory cell 110 or the voltage difference ofboth ends of the memory cell 110 is applied to be equal to or higherthan a threshold value. When turned on, the switching element 112 allowsan unlimited amount of current to flow through the memory cell 110. Theswitching element 112 may be an Ovonic Threshold Switch (OTS).

The memory cell 110 may be coupled between a global bit line GBL and aglobal word line GWL. The memory cell 110 may have one end which iscoupled with the global bit line GBL and the other end which is coupledwith the global word line GWL. The semiconductor memory apparatus 1 mayhave a hierarchical bit line and word line structure. The one end of thememory cell 110 may be coupled with a bit line BL, and the bit line BLmay be coupled with the global bit line GBL through a column switch 160.The column switch 160 may couple the bit line BL and the global bit lineGBL based on a bit line select signal BLS. The other end of the memorycell 110 may be coupled with a word line WL, and the word line WL may becoupled with the global word line GWL through a row switch 170. The rowswitch 170 may couple the word line WL and the global word line GWLbased on a word line select signal WLS.

The semiconductor memory apparatus 1 may include a bit line supply 130and a word line supply 140. The bit line supply 130 may supply a bitline bias voltage to the global bit line GBL when the semiconductormemory apparatus 1 performs a write operation or a read operation. Thebit line supply 130 may receive a high voltage VH, and may supply thebit line bias voltage to the global bit line GBL during the writeoperation or the read operation, thereby raising the voltage level ofthe global bit line GBL. The high voltage VH may be a power supplyvoltage which has a sufficiently high voltage level. The word linesupply 140 may supply a word line bias voltage to the global word lineGWL when the semiconductor memory apparatus 1 performs a write operationor a read operation. The word line supply 140 may receive a low voltageVL, and may supply the word line bias voltage to the global word lineGWL, thereby lowering the voltage level of the global word line GWL. Thelow voltage VL may have a level lower than the high voltage VH, and maybe a ground voltage or a power supply voltage having a level equal to orlower than the ground voltage. The difference between the voltage levelof the global bit line GBL raised by the bit line supply 130 and thevoltage level of the global word line GWL lowered by the word linesupply 140 may correspond to a write voltage for programming data to thememory cell 110 or a read voltage for reading data stored in the memorycell 110.

In FIG. 1, there is shown a timing diagram for a set write operation ofthe semiconductor memory apparatus 1. Before the semiconductor memoryapparatus 1 performs the set write operation, the bit line BL may beheld at the level of an unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV, and theword line WL may be held at the level of an unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV. When the semiconductor memory apparatus 1 performs thewrite operation for the memory cell 110, the bit line select signal BLSand the word line select signal WLS may be enabled to turn on the columnswitch 160 and the row switch 170, respectively, which are coupled withthe memory cell 110. In order to program the memory cell 110 to a setstate, the bit line supply 130 may raise the voltage level of the globalbit line GBL and the bit line BL, and the word line supply 140 may lowerthe voltage level of the global word line GWL and the word line WL. Ifthe difference between the voltage level of the bit line BL and thevoltage level of the word line WL reaches a threshold value Vth, thesnapback of the memory cell 110 occurs, and the amount of a currentIcell flowing through the memory cell 110 may be abruptly increased. Ifthe snapback occurs, the voltage level of the bit line BL may be loweredby a predetermined level, and, as a lowered voltage is applied for apredetermined time, the memory cell 110 may be programmed to the setstate. If the predetermined time elapses and the set write operation isended, the voltage level of the bit line BL and the global bit line GBLmay be changed to the level of the unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV, and the voltage level of the word line WL and the global word lineGWL may be changed again to the level of the unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV. In an embodiment, the levels of the unselected bit linebias voltage BUSV and the unselected word line bias voltage WUSV mayhave a level corresponding to the middle of the threshold value Vth. Theunselected word line bias voltage WUSV may have the same level as theunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV. Alternatively, the unselectedword line bias voltage WUSV may have a level higher than the unselectedbit line bias voltage BUSV.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram illustrating a semiconductor memory apparatus 2and a memory cell array 200 in accordance with an embodiment. FIG. 3shows a diagram illustrating the operation of the semiconductor memoryapparatus 2 in accordance with the embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 3shows the voltage levels of a selected bit line SBL, a selected wordline SWL, an unselected bit line UBL, and an unselected word line UWL.In FIG. 2, the memory cell array 200 may include a plurality of accesslines. The plurality of access lines may include a plurality of firstaccess lines which are disposed in a column direction and a plurality ofsecond access lines which are disposed in a row direction. As a specificaccess line is selected among the plurality of first access lines and aspecific access line is selected among the plurality of second accesslines, a write operation and/or a read operation may be performed for amemory cell which is coupled with the selected access lines. Forexample, the first access lines may be bit lines, and the second accesslines may be word lines. A plurality of memory cells may be coupledwhere the plurality of bit lines and the plurality of word linesintersect with each other. In order to perform a write operation or aread operation for a target memory cell T, a bit line SBL which iscoupled with one end of the target memory cell T and a word line SWLwhich is coupled with the other end of the target memory cell T may beselected. As shown in FIG. 3, the voltage level of the selected bit lineSBL may be raised, and the voltage level of the selected word line SWLmay be lowered. If the difference in the voltage levels of the selectedbit line SBL and the selected word line SWL reaches a threshold valueVth, the target memory cell T may be turned on and a snapback may occur.Therefore, as a current flows from the selected bit line SBL to theselected word line SWL through the target memory cell T, the writeoperation or the read operation for the target memory cell T may beperformed.

A selected bit line bias voltage BSV may be applied to the selected bitline SBL, and an unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV may be applied toan unselected bit line UBL. A selected word line bias voltage WSV may beapplied to the selected word line SWL, and an unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV may be applied to an unselected word line UWL. One end of amemory cell A may be coupled with the unselected word line UWL, and theother end of the memory cell A may be coupled with the selected bit lineSBL. Therefore, the voltage level difference between the selected bitline SBL and the unselected word line UWL to which the memory cell A iscoupled may be VA. Also, one end of a memory cell B may be coupled withan unselected bit line UBL, but the other end of the memory cell B maybe coupled with the selected word line SWL. Therefore, the voltage leveldifference between the unselected bit line UBL and the selected wordline SWL to which the memory cell B is coupled may be VB. In general,because VA and VB are smaller than the threshold value of a memory cell,memory cells except the target memory cell T are not turned on. However,the threshold voltage of a memory cell may be changed depending on avariation in process, voltage, and/or temperature, and there may be acase where the memory cell is turned on in response to the voltage of VAor VB. Thus, as a memory cell which is adjacent to the target memorycell T is turned on, a disturbance whereby the memory cell loses storeddata may occur.

FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating the operation of the semiconductormemory apparatus 2 in accordance with and embodiment. The semiconductormemory apparatus 2 may apply the selected bit line bias voltage BSV tothe selected bit line SBL which is coupled with the target memory cellT, and may apply the selected word line bias voltage WSV to the selectedword line SWL which is coupled with the target memory cell T. The leveldifference between the selected bit line bias voltage BSV and theselected word line bias voltage WSV may correspond to a write voltage ora read voltage. The semiconductor memory apparatus 2 may apply a firstunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to the unselected bit line UBLwhich is adjacent to the selected bit line SBL. The semiconductor memoryapparatus 2 may apply a second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 toan unselected bit line (not shown) which is not adjacent to the selectedbit line SBL. The semiconductor memory apparatus 2 may apply a firstunselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to the unselected word line UWLwhich is adjacent to the selected word line SWL. The semiconductormemory apparatus 2 may apply a second unselected word line bias voltageWUSV2 to an unselected word line (not shown) which is not adjacent tothe selected word line SWL. The first unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV1 may have a level lower than the second unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV2, and the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 mayhave a level lower than the selected bit line bias voltage BSV. Thefirst unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 may have a level higherthan the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2, and the secondunselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 may have a level higher than theselected word line bias voltage WSV. The second unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV2 may have a voltage level corresponding to the middle ofthe selected bit line bias voltage BSV and the selected word line biasvoltage WSV. The second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 may havea voltage level corresponding to the middle of the selected bit linebias voltage BSV and the selected word line bias voltage WSV. Forexample, each of the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 andthe second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 may have a voltagelevel corresponding to a ground voltage. In an embodiment, the secondunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 may have a level lower than thesecond unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2. The semiconductor memoryapparatus 2 may include a bit line control circuit which may apply theselected bit line bias voltage BSV, the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1, and the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 tothe selected bit line SBL and unselected bit lines. The semiconductormemory apparatus 2 may include a word line control circuit which mayapply the selected word line bias voltage WSV, the first unselected wordline bias voltage WUSV1, and the second unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV2 to the selected word line SWL and unselected word lines.

As shown in FIG. 4, when a bit line and a word line are not selected,the bit line may hold the level of the second unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV2, and the word line may hold the level of the secondunselected word line bias voltage WUSV2. In order to perform the writeoperation and/or the read operation for the target memory cell T, thevoltage level of the selected bit line SBL may be raised, and thevoltage level of the selected word line SWL may be lowered. The selectedbit line SBL may be raised to the level of the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV, and the selected word line SWL may be lowered to the levelof the selected word line bias voltage WSV. An unselected bit line whichis not adjacent to the selected bit line SBL may hold the level of thesecond unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, and an unselected wordline which is not adjacent to the selected word line SWL may hold thelevel of the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2. Theunselected bit line UBL which is adjacent to the selected bit line SBLmay be lowered to the level of the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1, and the unselected word line UWL which is adjacent to theselected word line SWL may be raised to the level of the firstunselected word line bias voltage WUSV1. Therefore, the voltage leveldifference of the bit line and the word line to which the memory cell Ashown in FIG. 2 is coupled may be Va, and the voltage level differenceof the bit line and the word line to which the memory cell B is coupledmay be Vb. Va may be reduced by the difference between the firstunselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 and the second unselected wordline bias voltage WUSV2 when compared to VA, and Vb may be reduced bythe difference between the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1and the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 when compared toVB. Therefore, the voltage level difference of both ends of each of thememory cells A and B which are adjacent to the target memory cell T maybe reduced, and a disturbance may be decreased.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating a semiconductor memory apparatus 3and a memory cell array 300 in accordance with an embodiment. In FIG. 5,the memory cell array 300 may include a plurality of bit lines and aplurality of word lines. A plurality of memory cells may be respectivelycoupled where the plurality of bit lines and the plurality of word linesintersect with each other. The semiconductor memory apparatus 3 mayperform a write operation or a read operation for a target memory cell Tby selecting a specific bit line and a specific word line. In order toallow the write operation or the read operation to be performed, aselected bit line bias voltage BSV may be applied to a selected bit lineSBL, and a selected word line bias voltage WSV may be applied to aselected word line SWL. In the present embodiment, in order to preventor mitigate the disturbance of a memory cell which is adjacent to thetarget memory cell T, a first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 maybe applied to a first unselected bit line UBL1 which is adjacent to theselected bit line SBL. A third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3may be applied to a second unselected bit line UBL2 which is notadjacent to the selected bit line SBL, and a second unselected bit linebias voltage BUSV2 may be applied to a third unselected bit line UBL3.The third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3 may have a voltagelevel between the first and second unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV1 and BUSV2. The second unselected bit line UBL2 may be relativelymore adjacent to the selected bit line SBL than the third unselected bitline UBL3. Therefore, by applying the third unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV3 which has a level lower than the second unselected bitline bias voltage BUSV2, to the second unselected bit line UBL2, aprobability of the occurrence of a disturbance by the memory cellcoupled to the second unselected bit line UBL2 may be further reduced.In an embodiment, the semiconductor memory apparatus 3 may apply avoltage the level of which increases between the first unselected bitline bias voltage BUSV1 and the second unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV2 in proportion to a distance from the selected bit line SBL to anunselected bit line, to the unselected bit line.

In the present embodiment, in order to prevent or mitigate thedisturbance of a memory cell which is adjacent to the target memory cellT, a first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 may be applied to afirst unselected word line UWL1 which is adjacent to the selected wordline SWL. A third unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3 may be appliedto a second unselected word line UWL2 which is not adjacent to theselected word line SWL, and a second unselected word line bias voltageWUSV2 may be applied to a third unselected word line UWL3. The thirdunselected word line bias voltage WUSV3 may have a voltage level betweenthe first and second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 and WUSV2.The second unselected word line UWL2 may be relatively more adjacent tothe selected word line SWL than the third unselected word line UWL3.Therefore, by applying the third unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3which has a level higher than the second unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV2, to the second unselected word line UWL2, a probability ofthe occurrence of a disturbance by the memory cell coupled to the secondunselected word line UWL2 may be further reduced. In an embodiment, thesemiconductor memory apparatus 3 may apply a voltage the level of whichdecreases between the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 andthe second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 in proportion to adistance from the selected word line SWL to an unselected word line, tothe unselected word line. The semiconductor memory apparatus 3 mayinclude a bit line control circuit to apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV, the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1, thesecond unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, and the third unselectedbit line bias voltage BUSV3 to a selected bit line and unselected bitlines. The semiconductor memory apparatus 3 may include a word linecontrol circuit to apply the selected word line bias voltage WSV, thefirst unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1, the second unselectedword line bias voltage WUSV2, and the third unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV3 to a selected word line and unselected word lines.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus 4 in accordance with an embodiment. In FIG. 6, thesemiconductor memory apparatus 4 may include a memory cell array 401 anda bit line control circuit 402. The memory cell array 401 may include aplurality of global bit lines and a plurality of bit lines. Theplurality of bit lines may be a plurality of access lines. The bit linecontrol unit may be an access line control circuit. In FIG. 6, thememory cell array 401 may include a first global bit line GBL1, a secondglobal bit line GBL2, a third global bit line GBL3, and a fourth globalbit line GBL4. The memory cell array 401 may include a plurality of bitline groups. The plurality of bit line groups may include a first bitline group BG1, a second bit line group BG2, and a third bit line groupBG3, and each of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, and BG3may include bit lines the number of which corresponds to the number ofglobal bit lines. Each of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2,and BG3 may include four bit lines. First to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2,BL3, and BL4 of the first bit line group BG1 may be coupled with thefirst to fourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4,respectively. First to fourth bit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of thesecond bit line group BG2 may be coupled with the first to fourth globalbit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, and the first bitline BL5 of the second bit line group BG2 may be adjacent to the fourthbit line BL4 of the first bit line group BG1. First to fourth bit linesBL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 may be coupledwith the first to fourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4,respectively, and the first bit line BL9 of the third bit line group BG3may be adjacent to the fourth bit line BL8 of the second bit line groupBG2. While FIG. 6 shows three bit line groups, other embodiments are notso limited and may have four or more bit line groups. Also, while it isillustrated that the number of global bit lines and the number of bitlines which are included in each bit line group are 4, the number ofglobal bit lines and the number of bit lines which are included in eachbit line group may be greater or less than 4 in other embodiments.

The memory cell array 401 may include a first group switch 411, a secondgroup switch 412, and a third group switch 413. The first group switch411 may couple the first to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 ofthe first bit line group BG1 with the first to fourth global bit linesGBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, based on a first group selectsignal GY1. For example, the first group switch 411 may couple the firstto fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 of the first bit line groupBG1 with the first to fourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, andGBL4, respectively, when the first group select signal GY1 is enabled,and might not couple the first to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, andBL4 of the first bit line group BG1 with the first to fourth global bitlines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4 when the first group select signal GY1is disabled.

The second group switch 412 may couple the first to fourth bit linesBL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of the second bit line group BG2 with the firstto fourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively,based on a second group select signal GY2. For example, the second groupswitch 412 may couple the first to fourth bit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, andBL8 of the second bit line group BG2 with the first to fourth global bitlines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, when the second groupselect signal GY2 is enabled, and might not couple the first to fourthbit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of the second bit line group BG2 withthe first to fourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4 when thesecond group select signal GY2 is disabled.

The third group switch 413 may couple the first to fourth bit lines BL9,BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 with the first tofourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, basedon a third group select signal GY3. For example, the third group switch413 may couple the first to fourth bit lines BL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12of the third bit line group BG3 with the first to fourth global bitlines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, when the third groupselect signal GY3 is enabled, and might not couple the first to fourthbit lines BL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 withthe first to fourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4 when thethird group select signal GY3 is disabled.

The bit line control circuit 402 may receive a bit line select signalBLS. The bit line control circuit 402 may generate the first to thirdgroup select signals GY1, GY2, and GY3 based on the bit line selectsignal BLS. The bit line control circuit 402 may selectively enable thefirst to third group select signals GY1, GY2, and GY3 to select a bitline group in which a selected bit line is included. For example, whenone of the first to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 of the firstbit line group BG1 is selected based on the bit line select signal BLS,the bit line control circuit 402 may enable the first group selectsignal GY1 and disable the second and third group select signals GY2 andGY3. When one of the first to fourth bit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 ofthe second bit line group BG2 is selected based on the bit line selectsignal BLS, the bit line control circuit 402 may enable the second groupselect signal GY2 and disable the first and third group select signalsGY1 and GY3. Similarly, when one of the first to fourth bit lines BL9,BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 is selected basedon the bit line select signal BLS, the bit line control circuit 402 mayenable the third group select signal GY3 and disable the first andsecond group select signals GY1 and GY2.

The bit line control circuit 402 may drive the first to fourth globalbit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4 with different bit line biasvoltages based on the bit line select signal BLS. The different bit linebias voltages may include all or some of a selected bit line biasvoltage BSV, a first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1, a secondunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, and a third unselected bit linebias voltage BUSV3. In an embodiment, the different bit line biasvoltages may include the selected bit line bias voltage BSV and thefirst unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1. The bit line controlcircuit 402 may apply the selected bit line bias voltage BSV to a globalbit line to which a bit line selected based on the bit line selectsignal BLS is coupled. The bit line control circuit 402 may apply thefirst unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to global bit lines whichare not coupled with the bit line selected based on the bit line selectsignal BLS. For example, when the second bit line BL6 of the second bitline group BG2 is selected based on the bit line select signal BLS, thebit line control circuit 402 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to the second global bit line GBL2 which is coupled with thesecond bit line BL6, and may apply the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1 to the first global bit line GBL1, the third global bitline GBL3, and the fourth global bit line GBL4.

The memory cell array 401 may include unselected voltage supply circuits421, 422, and 423. The unselected voltage supply circuits 421, 422, and423 may be coupled with the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, andBG3, respectively. The unselected voltage supply circuits 421, 422, and423 may apply the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 to thefirst to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9,BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, andBG3 based on the first group select signal GY1, the second group selectsignal GY2, and the third group select signal GY3, respectively. Theunselected voltage supply circuits 421, 422, and 423 may apply thesecond unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 to the first to fourth bitlines BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, and BG3 when the firstto third group select signals GY1, GY2, and GY3 are disabled. Forexample, when the second group select signal GY2 is enabled and thefirst and third group select signals GY1 and GY3 are disabled, theunselected voltage supply circuit 421 may drive the first to fourth bitlines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 of the first bit line group BG1 with thesecond unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, and the unselectedvoltage supply circuit 423 may drive the first to fourth bit lines BL9,BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 with the secondunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2. The unselected voltage supplycircuit 422 might not apply the second unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV2 to the first to fourth bit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of thesecond bit line group BG2.

In an embodiment, the different bit line bias voltages may include theselected bit line bias voltage BSV, the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1, and the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2.The bit line control circuit 402 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to a global bit line to which a bit line selected based onthe bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line control circuit402 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to aglobal bit line to which a bit line adjacent to a bit line selectedbased on the bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line controlcircuit 402 may apply the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2to a global bit line to which a bit line not adjacent to a bit lineselected based on the bit line select signal BLS is coupled. Forexample, when the second bit line BL6 of the second bit line group BG2is selected based on the bit line select signal BLS, the bit linecontrol circuit 402 may apply the selected bit line bias voltage BSV tothe second global bit line GBL2 which is coupled with the second bitline BL6. The bit line control circuit 402 may apply the firstunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to the first global bit line GBL1and the third global bit line GBL3 which are respectively coupled withthe first bit line BL5 and the third bit line BL7 adjacent to the secondbit line BL6. The bit line control circuit 402 may apply the secondunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 to the fourth global bit lineGBL4 which is coupled with the fourth bit line BL8 not adjacent to thesecond bit line BL6.

In an embodiment, the different bit line bias voltages may include theselected bit line bias voltage BSV, the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1, and the third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3. Thebit line control circuit 402 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to a global bit line to which a bit line selected based onthe bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line control circuit402 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to aglobal bit line to which a bit line adjacent to a bit line selectedbased on the bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line controlcircuit 402 may apply the third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3to a global bit line to which a bit line not directly adjacent to a bitline selected based on the bit line select signal BLS but adjacent to abit line directly adjacent to the bit line selected based on the bitline select signal BLS is coupled. For example, when the second bit lineBL6 of the second bit line group BG2 is selected based on the bit lineselect signal BLS, the bit line control circuit 402 may apply theselected bit line bias voltage BSV to the second global bit line GBL2which is coupled with the second bit line BL6. The bit line controlcircuit 402 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1to the first global bit line GBL1 and the third global bit line GBL3which are respectively coupled with the first bit line BL5 and the thirdbit line BL7 adjacent to the second bit line BL6. The bit line controlcircuit 402 may apply the third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3to the fourth global bit line GBL4 which is coupled with the fourth bitline BL8 not adjacent to the second bit line BL6 but adjacent to thethird bit line BL7.

FIG. 7 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus 5 in accordance with an embodiment. In FIG. 7, thesemiconductor memory apparatus 5 may include a memory cell array 501 anda bit line control circuit 502. The memory cell array 501 may include aplurality of global bit lines and a plurality of bit lines. Theplurality of bit lines may be a plurality of access lines. The bit linecontrol unit may be an access line control circuit. In FIG. 7, thememory cell array 501 may include a first global bit line GBL1, a secondglobal bit line GBL2, a third global bit line GBL3, a fourth global bitline GBL4, a fifth global bit line GBL5, a sixth global bit line GBL6, aseventh global bit line GBL7, and an eighth global bit line GBL8. Thememory cell array 501 may include a plurality of bit line groups. Theplurality of bit line groups may include a first bit line group BG1, asecond bit line group BG2, and a third bit line group BG3, and each ofthe first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, and BG3 may include bitlines the number of which corresponds to half the number of global bitlines. Each of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, and BG3 mayinclude four bit lines. First to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4of the first bit line group BG1 may be coupled with the first to fourthglobal bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively. First tofourth bit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of the second bit line group BG2may be coupled with the fifth to eighth global bit lines GBL5, GBL6,GBL7, and GBL8, respectively, and the first bit line BL5 of the secondbit line group BG2 may be adjacent to the fourth bit line BL4 of thefirst bit line group BG1. First to fourth bit lines BL9, BL10, BL11, andBL12 of the third bit line group BG3 may be coupled with the first tofourth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, andthe first bit line BL9 of the third bit line group BG3 may be adjacentto the fourth bit line BL8 of the second bit line group BG2. While FIG.7 shows three bit line groups, other embodiments are not so limited andmay have four or more bit line groups. For example, if a fourth bit linegroup adjacent to the third bit line group BG3 exists, the bit lines ofthe fourth bit line group may be coupled with the fifth to eighth globalbit lines GBL5, GBL6, GBL7, and GBL8, respectively, similarly to thesecond bit line group BG2.

The memory cell array 501 may include a first group switch 511, a secondgroup switch 512, and a third group switch 513. The first group switch511 may couple the first to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 ofthe first bit line group BG1 with the first to fourth global bit linesGBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, based on a first group selectsignal GY1. The second group switch 512 may couple the first to fourthbit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of the second bit line group BG2 withthe fifth to eighth global bit lines GBL5, GBL6, GBL7, and GBL8,respectively, based on a second group select signal GY2. The third groupswitch 513 may couple the first to fourth bit lines BL9, BL10, BL11, andBL12 of the third bit line group BG3 with the first to fourth global bitlines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, and GBL4, respectively, based on a third groupselect signal GY3.

The bit line control circuit 502 may receive a bit line select signalBLS. The bit line control circuit 502 may generate the first to thirdgroup select signals GY1, GY2, and GY3 based on the bit line selectsignal BLS. The bit line control circuit 502 may selectively enable thefirst to third group select signals GY1, GY2, and GY3 to select a bitline group which includes a selected bit line. The bit line controlcircuit 502 may enable at least one group select signal based on the bitline select signal BLS. When a specific bit line is selected, the bitline control circuit 502 may enable together not only a group selectsignal of a bit line group to which the selected bit line belongs butalso a group select signal of another bit line group to which a bit lineadjacent to the selected bit line belongs. For example, when one of thefirst to third bit lines BL1, BL2, and BL3 of the first bit line groupBG1 is selected based on the bit line select signal BLS, the bit linecontrol circuit 502 may enable the first group select signal GY1. Whenone of the second and third bit lines BL6 and BL7 of the second bit linegroup BG2 is selected based on the bit line select signal BLS, the bitline control circuit 502 may enable the second group select signal GY2.When any one of the second to fourth bit lines BL10, BL11, and BL12 ofthe third bit line group BG3 is selected based on the bit line selectsignal BLS, the bit line control circuit 502 may enable the third groupselect signal GY3. When the fourth bit line BL4 of the first bit linegroup BG1 or the first bit line BL5 of the second bit line group BG2 isselected based on the bit line select signal BLS, the bit line controlcircuit 502 may enable the first group select signal GY1 and the secondgroup select signal GY2 together. When the fourth bit line BL8 of thesecond bit line group BG2 or the first bit line BL9 of the third bitline group BG3 is selected based on the bit line select signal BLS, thebit line control circuit 502 may enable the second group select signalGY2 and the third group select signal GY3 together.

The bit line control circuit 502 may drive all or some of the first toeighth global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, GBL3, GBL4, GBL5, GBL6, GBL7, andGBL8 with different bit line bias voltages based on the bit line selectsignal BLS. The different bit line bias voltages may include all or someof a selected bit line bias voltage BSV, a first unselected bit linebias voltage BUSV1, a second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, anda third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3. In an embodiment, thedifferent bit line bias voltages may include the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV and the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1. Thebit line control circuit 502 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to a global bit line to which a bit line selected based onthe bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line control circuit502 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to globalbit lines which are not coupled with a bit line selected based on thebit line select signal BLS.

In an embodiment, the different bit line bias voltages may include theselected bit line bias voltage BSV, the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1, and the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2.The bit line control circuit 502 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to a global bit line to which a bit line selected based onthe bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line control circuit502 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to aglobal bit line to which a bit line adjacent to a bit line selectedbased on the bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line controlcircuit 502 may apply the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2to a global bit line to which a bit line not adjacent to a bit lineselected based on the bit line select signal BLS is coupled.

In an embodiment, the different bit line bias voltages may include theselected bit line bias voltage BSV, the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1, and the third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3. Thebit line control circuit 502 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to a global bit line to which a bit line selected based onthe bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line control circuit502 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to aglobal bit line to which a bit line adjacent to a bit line selectedbased on the bit line select signal BLS is coupled. The bit line controlcircuit 502 may apply the third unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3to a global bit line to which a bit line not directly adjacent to a bitline selected based on the bit line select signal BLS but adjacent to abit line directly adjacent to the bit line selected based on the bitline select signal BLS is coupled.

The memory cell array 501 may include unselected voltage supply circuits521, 522, and 523. The unselected voltage supply circuits 521, 522, and523 may be coupled with the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, andBG3, respectively. The unselected voltage supply circuits 521, 522, and523 may apply the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 to thefirst to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9,BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, andBG3 based on the first group select signal GY1, the second group selectsignal GY2, and the third group select signal GY3, respectively. Theunselected voltage supply circuits 521, 522, and 523 may apply thesecond unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 to the first to fourth bitlines BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, BL6, BL7, BL8, BL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12of the first to third bit line groups BG1, BG2, and BG3 when the firstto third group select signals GY1, GY2, and GY3 are disabled. Forexample, when the second group select signal GY2 is enabled and thefirst and third group select signals GY1 and GY3 are disabled, theunselected voltage supply circuit 521 may drive the first to fourth bitlines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 of the first bit line group BG1 with thesecond unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, and the unselectedvoltage supply circuit 523 may drive the first to fourth bit lines BL9,BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 with the secondunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2. The unselected voltage supplycircuit 522 might not apply the second unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV2 to the first to fourth bit lines BL5, BL6, BL7, and BL8 of thesecond bit line group BG2.

The operation of the semiconductor memory apparatus 5 in accordance withan embodiment is described below. When the second bit line BL6 of thesecond bit line group BG2 is selected based on the bit line selectsignal BLS, the bit line control circuit 502 may enable the second groupselect signal GY2 and disable the first and third group select signalsGY1 and GY3. The unselected voltage supply circuits 521 and 523 mayapply the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2 to the first tofourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 of the first bit line group BG1and the first to fourth bit lines BL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the thirdbit line group BG3, based on the first and third group select signalsGY1 and GY3 which are disabled. When the second bit line BL6 is selectedbased on the bit line select signal BLS, the bit line control circuit502 may apply the selected bit line bias voltage BSV to the sixth globalbit line GBL6, and may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV1 to the fifth global bit line GBL5, the seventh global bit lineGBL7 and the eighth global bit line GBL8. In an embodiment, the bit linecontrol circuit 502 may apply the selected bit line bias voltage BSV tothe sixth global bit line GBL6, may apply the first unselected bit linebias voltage BUSV1 to the fifth global bit line GBL5 and the seventhglobal bit line GBL7, and may apply the second unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV2 to the eighth global bit line GBL8. In an embodiment, thebit line control circuit 502 may apply the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV to the sixth global bit line GBL6, may apply the firstunselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 to the fifth global bit line GBL5and the seventh global bit line GBL7, and may apply the third unselectedbit line bias voltage BUSV3 to the eighth global bit line GBL8.

Therefore, the selected second bit line BL6 may be coupled with thesixth global bit line GBL6 and be driven with the selected bit line biasvoltage BSV, and the first and third bit lines BL5 and BL7 which areadjacent to the second bit line BL6 among unselected bit lines may berespectively coupled with the fifth and seventh global bit lines GBL5and GBL7 and be driven with the first unselected bit line bias voltageBUSV1. The first to fourth bit lines BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4 of the firstbit line group BG1 and the first to fourth bit lines BL9, BL10, BL11,and BL12 of the third bit line group BG3 which are not adjacent to thesecond bit line BL6 may be driven with the second unselected bit linebias voltage BUSV2, and the fourth bit line BL8 of the second bit linegroup BG2 may be coupled with the eighth global bit line GBL8 and bedriven with one of the first to third unselected bit line bias voltagesBUSV1, BUSV2, and BUSV3. The first and third bit lines BL5 and BL7 whichare adjacent to the selected second bit line BL6 may be driven with thefirst unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1 which has a level lowerthan the second unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV2, and may preventor mitigate the occurrence of a disturbance of memory cells which arecoupled with the first and third bit lines BL5 and BL7. The bit linecontrol circuit 502 may perform an operation similar to that describedabove when the first to third bit lines BL1, BL2, and BL3 of the firstbit line group BG1, the third bit line BL7 of the second bit line groupBG2 and the second to fourth bit lines BL10, BL11, and BL12 of the thirdbit line group BG3 are selected.

When the first bit line BL5 of the second bit line group BG2 is selectedbased on the bit line select signal BLS, the bit line control circuit502 may enable both the first and second group select signals GY1 andGY2 and disable the third group select signal GY3. The unselectedvoltage supply circuit 523 may apply the second unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV2 to the first to fourth bit lines BL9, BL10, BL11, and BL12of the third bit line group BG3 based on the disabled third group selectsignal GY3. The bit line control circuit 502 may apply the selected bitline bias voltage BSV to the fifth global bit line GBL5 which is coupledwith the first bit line BL5 of the second bit line group BG2. The bitline control circuit 502 may apply the first unselected bit line biasvoltage BUSV1 to the fourth global bit line GBL4 which is coupled withthe fourth bit line BL4 of the first bit line group BG1 adjacent to thefirst bit line BL5 and the sixth global bit line GBL6 which is coupledwith the second bit line BL6 of the second bit line group BG2 adjacentto the first bit line BL5. The bit line control circuit 502 may applyone of the first to third unselected bit line bias voltages BUSV1,BUSV2, and BUSV3 to the first to third global bit lines GBL1, GBL2, andGBL3 which are coupled with the first to third bit lines BL1, BL2, andBL3 of the first bit line group BG1 not adjacent to the first bit lineBL5 and the seventh and eighth global bit lines GBL7 and GBL8 which arecoupled with the third and fourth bit lines BL7 and BL8 of the secondbit line group BG2 not adjacent to the first bit line BL5. While avoltage to be applied to the first to third global bit lines GBL1, GBL2,and GBL3 and the seventh and eighth global bit lines GBL7 and GBL8 maybe any one of the first to third unselected bit line bias voltagesBUSV1, BUSV2, and BUSV3, an unselected bit line bias voltage which has arelatively low level as the position of an unselected bit line is closeto a selected bit line may be applied to the global bit line which iscoupled with the unselected bit line. For example, the bit line controlcircuit 502 may apply the first unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV1to the fourth and sixth global bit lines GBL4 and GBL6, may apply thethird unselected bit line bias voltage BUSV3 to the third and seventhglobal bit lines GBL3 and GBL7, and may apply the second unselected bitline bias voltage BUSV2 to the first, second and eighth global bit linesGBL1, GBL2, and GBL8. The bit line control circuit 502 may perform anoperation similar to that described above when the fourth bit line BL4of the first bit line group BG1, the fourth bit line BL8 of the secondbit line group BG2 and the first bit line BL9 of the third bit linegroup BG3 are selected.

FIG. 8 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus 6 in accordance with an embodiment. In FIG. 8, thesemiconductor memory apparatus 6 may include a memory cell array 601 anda word line control circuit 602. The memory cell array 601 may include aplurality of global word lines and a plurality of word lines. Theplurality of word lines may be a plurality of access lines. The wordline control unit may be an access line control circuit. In FIG. 8, thememory cell array 601 may include a first global word line GWL1, asecond global word line GWL2, a third global word line GWL3, and afourth global word line GWL4. The memory cell array 601 may include aplurality of word line groups. The plurality of word line groups mayinclude a first word line group WG1, a second word line group WG2, and athird word line group WG3, and each of the first to third word linegroups WG1, WG2, and WG3 may include word lines the number of whichcorresponds to the number of global word lines. Each of the first tothird word line groups WG1, WG2, and WG3 may include four word lines.First to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 of the first word linegroup WG1 may be coupled with the first to fourth global word linesGWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively. First to fourth word linesWL5, WL6, WL7, and WL8 of the second word line group WG2 may be coupledwith the first to fourth global word lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4,respectively, and the first word line WL5 of the second word line groupWG2 may be adjacent to the fourth word line WL4 of the first word linegroup WG1. First to fourth word lines WL9, WL10, WL11, and WL12 of thethird word line group WG3 may be coupled with the first to fourth globalword lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively, and the first wordline WL9 of the third word line group WG3 may be adjacent to the fourthword line WL8 of the second word line group WG2. While FIG. 8 showsthree word line groups, other embodiments are not so limited and mayhave four or more word line groups. Also, while it is illustrated thatthe number of global word lines and the number of word lines which areincluded in each word line group are 4, the number of global word linesand the number of word lines which are included in each word line groupmay be greater or less than 4 in other embodiments.

The memory cell array 601 may include a first group switch 611, a secondgroup switch 612, and a third group switch 613. The first group switch611 may couple the first to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 ofthe first word line group WG1 with the first to fourth global word linesGWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively, based on a first group selectsignal GX1. The second group switch 612 may couple the first to fourthword lines WL5, WL6, WL7, and WL8 of the second word line group WG2 withthe first to fourth global word lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4,respectively, based on a second group select signal GX2. The third groupswitch 613 may couple the first to fourth word lines WL9, WL10, WL11,and WL12 of the third word line group WG3 with the first to fourthglobal word lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively, based on athird group select signal GX3.

The word line control circuit 602 may receive a word line select signalWLS. The word line control circuit 602 may generate the first to thirdgroup select signals GX1, GX2, and GX3 based on the word line selectsignal WLS. The word line control circuit 602 may selectively enable thefirst to third group select signals GX1, GX2, and GX3 to select a wordline group in which a word line selected based on the word line selectsignal WLS is included.

The word line control circuit 602 may drive the first to fourth globalword lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4 with different word line biasvoltages based on the word line select signal WLS. The different wordline bias voltages may include all or some of a selected word line biasvoltage WSV, a first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1, a secondunselected word line bias voltage WUSV2, and a third unselected wordline bias voltage WUSV3. In an embodiment, the different word line biasvoltages may include the selected word line bias voltage WSV and thefirst unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1. The word line controlcircuit 602 may apply the selected word line bias voltage WSV to aglobal word line to which a word line selected based on the word lineselect signal WLS is coupled. The word line control circuit 602 mayapply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to global wordlines which are not coupled with a word line selected based on the wordline select signal WLS. For example, when the second word line WL6 ofthe second word line group WG2 is selected based on the word line selectsignal WLS, the word line control circuit 602 may apply the selectedword line bias voltage WSV to the second global word line GWL2 which iscoupled with the second word line WL6, and may apply the firstunselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to the first global word lineGWL1, the third global word line GWL3, and the fourth global word lineGWL4.

In an embodiment, the different word line bias voltages may include theselected word line bias voltage WSV, the first unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV1, and the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2.The word line control circuit 602 may apply the selected word line biasvoltage WSV to a global word line to which a word line selected based onthe word line select signal WLS is coupled. The word line controlcircuit 602 may apply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1to a global word line to which a word line adjacent to a word lineselected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled. The wordline control circuit 602 may apply the second unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV2 to a global word line to which a word line not adjacent toa word line selected based on the word line select signal WLS iscoupled. For example, when the second word line WL6 of the second wordline group WG2 is selected based on the word line select signal WLS, theword line control circuit 602 may apply the selected word line biasvoltage WSV to the second global word line GWL2 which is coupled withthe second word line WL6. The word line control circuit 602 may applythe first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to the first globalword line GWL1 and the third global word line GWL3 which arerespectively coupled with the first word line WL5 and the third wordline WL7 adjacent to the second word line WL6. The word line controlcircuit 602 may apply the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2to the fourth global word line GWL4 which is coupled with the fourthword line WL8 not adjacent to the second word line WL6.

In an embodiment, the different word line bias voltages may include theselected word line bias voltage WSV, the first unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV1, and the third unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3.The word line control circuit 602 may apply the selected word line biasvoltage WSV to a global word line to which a word line selected based onthe word line select signal WLS is coupled. The word line controlcircuit 602 may apply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1to a global word line to which a word line adjacent to a word lineselected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled. The wordline control circuit 602 may apply the third unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV3 to a global word line to which a word line not directlyadjacent to a word line selected based on the word line select signalWLS but adjacent to a word line directly adjacent to the word lineselected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled. Forexample, when the second word line WL6 of the second word line group WG2is selected based on the word line select signal WLS, the word linecontrol circuit 602 may apply the selected word line bias voltage WSV tothe second global word line GWL2 which is coupled with the second wordline WL6. The word line control circuit 602 may apply the firstunselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to the first global word lineGWL1 and the third global word line GWL3 which are respectively coupledwith the first word line WL5 and the third word line WL7 adjacent to thesecond word line WL6. The word line control circuit 602 may apply thethird unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3 to the fourth global wordline GWL4 which is coupled with the fourth word line WL8 not adjacent tothe second word line WL6 but adjacent to the third word line WL7.

The memory cell array 601 may include unselected voltage supply circuits621, 622, and 623. The unselected voltage supply circuits 621, 622, and623 may apply the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 to thefirst to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, WL4, WL5, WL6, WL7, WL8, WL9,WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the first to third word line groups WG1, WG2,and WG3 based on the first group select signal GX1, the second groupselect signal GX2, and the third group select signal GX3, respectively.The unselected voltage supply circuits 621, 622, and 623 may apply thesecond unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 to the first to fourthword lines WL1, WL2, WL3, WL4, WL5, WL6, WL7, WL8, WL9, WL10, WL11, andWL12 of the first to third word line groups WG1, WG2, and WG3 when thefirst to third group select signals GX1, GX2, and GX3 are disabled.

FIG. 9 shows a diagram illustrating a configuration of a semiconductormemory apparatus 7 in accordance with an embodiment. In FIG. 9, thesemiconductor memory apparatus 7 may include a memory cell array 701 anda word line control circuit 702. The memory cell array 701 may include aplurality of global word lines and a plurality of word lines. Theplurality of word lines may be a plurality of access lines. The wordline control unit may be an access line control circuit. In FIG. 9, thememory cell array 701 may include a first global word line GWL1, asecond global word line GWL2, a third global word line GWL3, a fourthglobal word line GWL4, a fifth global word line GWL5, a sixth globalword line GWL6, a seventh global word line GWL7, and an eighth globalword line GWL8. The memory cell array 701 may include a plurality ofword line groups. The plurality of word line groups may include a firstword line group WG1, a second word line group WG2, and a third word linegroup WG3, and each of the first to third word line groups WG1, WG2, andWG3 may include word lines the number of which corresponds to half thenumber of global word lines. Each of the first to third word line groupsWG1, WG2, and WG3 may include four word lines. First to fourth wordlines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 of the first word line group WG1 may becoupled with the first to fourth global word lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, andGWL4, respectively. First to fourth word lines WL5, WL6, WL7, and WL8 ofthe second word line group WG2 may be coupled with the fifth to eighthglobal word lines GWL5, GWL6, GWL7, and GWL8, respectively, and thefirst word line WL5 of the second word line group WG2 may be adjacent tothe fourth word line WL4 of the first word line group WG1. First tofourth word lines WL9, WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the third word line groupWG3 may be coupled with the first to fourth global word lines GWL1,GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively, and the first word line WL9 of thethird word line group WG3 may be adjacent to the fourth word line WL8 ofthe second word line group WG2. While FIG. 9 shows three word linegroups, other embodiments are not so limited and may have four or moreword line groups. For example, if a fourth word line group which isadjacent to the third word line group WG3 exists, the word lines of thefourth word line group may be coupled with the fifth to eighth globalword lines GWL5, GWL6, GWL7, and GWL8, respectively, similarly to thesecond word line group WG2.

The memory cell array 701 may include a first group switch 711, a secondgroup switch 712, and a third group switch 713. The first group switch711 may couple the first to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 ofthe first word line group WG1 with the first to fourth global word linesGWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively, based on a first group selectsignal GX1. The second group switch 712 may couple the first to fourthword lines WL5, WL6, WL7, and WL8 of the second word line group WG2 withthe fifth to eighth global word lines GWL5, GWL6, GWL7, and GWL8,respectively, based on a second group select signal GX2. The third groupswitch 713 may couple the first to fourth word lines WL9, WL10, WL11,and WL12 of the third word line group WG3 with the first to fourthglobal word lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, and GWL4, respectively, based on athird group select signal GX3.

The word line control circuit 702 may receive a word line select signalWLS. The word line control circuit 702 may generate the first to thirdgroup select signals GX1, GX2, and GX3 based on the word line selectsignal WLS. The word line control circuit 702 may selectively enable thefirst to third group select signals GX1, GX2, and GX3 based on the wordline select signal WLS. The word line control circuit 702 may enable atleast one group select signal based on the word line select signal WLS.When a specific word line is selected, the word line control circuit 702may enable together not only a group select signal of a word line groupwhich includes the selected word line but also a group select signal ofanother word line group to which a word line adjacent to the selectedword line belongs. For example, when one of the first to third wordlines WL1, WL2, and WL3 of the first word line group WG1 is selectedbased on the word line select signal WLS, the word line control circuit702 may enable the first group select signal GX1. When one of the secondand third word lines WL6 and WL7 of the second word line group WG2 isselected based on the word line select signal WLS, the word line controlcircuit 702 may enable the second group select signal GX2. When any oneof the second to fourth word lines WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the thirdword line group WG3 is selected based on the word line select signalWLS, the word line control circuit 702 may enable the third group selectsignal GX3. When the fourth word line WL4 of the first word line groupWG1 or the first word line WL5 of the second word line group WG2 isselected based on the word line select signal WLS, the word line controlcircuit 702 may enable the first group select signal GX1 and the secondgroup select signal GX2 together. When the fourth word line WL8 of thesecond word line group WG2 or the first word line WL9 of the third wordline group WG3 is selected based on the word line select signal WLS, theword line control circuit 702 may enable the second group select signalGX2 and the third group select signal GX3 together.

The word line control circuit 702 may drive all or some of the first toeighth global word lines GWL1, GWL2, GWL3, GWL4, GWL5, GWL6, GWL7, andGWL8 with different word line bias voltages based on the word lineselect signal WLS. The different word line bias voltages may include allor some of a selected word line bias voltage WSV, a first unselectedword line bias voltage WUSV1, a second unselected word line bias voltageWUSV2, and a third unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3. In anembodiment, the different word line bias voltages may include theselected word line bias voltage WSV and the first unselected word linebias voltage WUSV1. The word line control circuit 702 may apply theselected word line bias voltage WSV to a global word line to which aword line selected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled.The word line control circuit 702 may apply the first unselected wordline bias voltage WUSV1 to global word lines which are not coupled witha word line selected based on the word line select signal WLS.

In an embodiment, the different word line bias voltages may include theselected word line bias voltage WSV, the first unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV1, and the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2.The word line control circuit 702 may apply the selected word line biasvoltage WSV to a global word line to which a word line selected based onthe word line select signal WLS is coupled. The word line controlcircuit 702 may apply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1to a global word line to which a word line adjacent to a word lineselected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled. The wordline control circuit 702 may apply the second unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV2 to a global word line to which a word line not adjacent toa word line selected based on the word line select signal WLS iscoupled.

In an embodiment, the different word line bias voltages may include theselected word line bias voltage WSV, the first unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV1, and the third unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3.The word line control circuit 702 may apply the selected word line biasvoltage WSV to a global word line to which a word line selected based onthe word line select signal WLS is coupled. The word line controlcircuit 702 may apply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1to a global word line to which a word line adjacent to a word lineselected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled. The wordline control circuit 702 may apply the third unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV3 to a global word line to which a word line not directlyadjacent to a word line selected based on the word line select signalWLS but adjacent to a word line directly adjacent to the word lineselected based on the word line select signal WLS is coupled.

The memory cell array 701 may include unselected voltage supply circuits721, 722, and 723. The unselected voltage supply circuits 721, 722, and723 may apply the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 to thefirst to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, WL4, WL5, WL6, WL7, WL8, WL9,WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the first to third word line groups WG1, WG2,and WG3 based on the first group select signal GX1, the second groupselect signal GX2 and the third group select signal GX3, respectively.The unselected voltage supply circuits 721, 722, and 723 may apply thesecond unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 to the first to fourthword lines WL1, WL2, WL3, WL4, WL5, WL6, WL7, WL8, WL9, WL10, WL11, andWL12 of the first to third word line groups WG1, WG2, and WG3 when thefirst to third group select signals GX1, GX2, and GX3 are disabled. Forexample, when the second group select signal GX2 is enabled and thefirst and third group select signals GX1 and GX3 are disabled, theunselected voltage supply circuit 721 may drive the first to fourth wordlines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 of the first word line group WG1 with thesecond unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2, and the unselectedvoltage supply circuit 723 may drive the first to fourth word lines WL9,WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the third word line group WG3 with the secondunselected word line bias voltage WUSV2. The unselected voltage supplycircuit 722 might not apply the second unselected word line bias voltageWUSV2 to the first to fourth word lines WL5, WL6, WL7, and WL8 of thesecond word line group WG2.

The operation of the semiconductor memory apparatus 7 in accordance withan embodiment is described below. When the second word line WL6 of thesecond word line group WG2 is selected based on the word line selectsignal WLS, the word line control circuit 702 may enable the secondgroup select signal GX2 and disable the first and third group selectsignals GX1 and GX3. The unselected voltage supply circuits 721 and 723may apply the second unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 to thefirst to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 of the first word linegroup WG1 and the first to fourth word lines WL9, WL10, WL11, and WL12of the third word line group WG3, based on the first and third groupselect signals GX1 and GX3 which are disabled. When the second word lineWL6 is selected based on the word line select signal WLS, the word linecontrol circuit 702 may apply the selected word line bias voltage WSV tothe sixth global word line GWL6, and may apply the first unselected wordline bias voltage WUSV1 to the fifth global word line GWL5, the seventhglobal word line GWL7, and the eighth global word line GWL8. In anembodiment, the word line control circuit 702 may apply the selectedword line bias voltage WSV to the sixth global word line GWL6, may applythe first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to the fifth globalword line GWL5 and the seventh global word line GWL7, and may apply thesecond unselected word line bias voltage WUSV2 to the eighth global wordline GWL8. In an embodiment, the word line control circuit 702 may applythe selected word line bias voltage WSV to the sixth global word lineGWL6, may apply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to thefifth global word line GWL5 and the seventh global word line GWL7, andmay apply the third unselected word line bias voltage WUSV3 to theeighth global word line GWL8.

Therefore, the selected second word line WL6 may be coupled with thesixth global word line GWL6 and be driven with the selected word linebias voltage WSV, and the first and third word lines WL5 and WL7 whichare adjacent to the second word line WL6 among unselected word lines maybe respectively coupled with the fifth and seventh global word linesGWL5 and GWL7 and be driven with the first unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV1. The first to fourth word lines WL1, WL2, WL3, and WL4 ofthe first word line group WG1 and the first to fourth word lines WL9,WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the third word line group WG3 which are notadjacent to the second word line WL6 may be driven with the secondunselected word line bias voltage WUSV2, and the fourth word line WL8 ofthe second word line group WG2 may be coupled with the eighth globalword line GWL8 and be driven with one of the first to third unselectedword line bias voltages WUSV1, WUSV2, and WUSV3. The first and thirdword lines WL5 and WL7 which are adjacent to the selected second wordline WL6 may be driven with the first unselected word line bias voltageWUSV1 which has a level lower than the second unselected word line biasvoltage WUSV2, and may prevent or mitigate the occurrence of adisturbance of memory cells which are coupled with the first and thirdword lines WL5 and WL7. The word line control circuit 702 may perform anoperation similar to that described above when the first to third wordlines WL1, WL2, and WL3 of the first word line group WG1, the third wordline WL7 of the second word line group WG2, and the second to fourthword lines WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the third word line group WG3 areselected.

When the first word line WL5 of the second word line group WG2 isselected based on the word line select signal WLS, the word line controlcircuit 702 may enable together the first and second group selectsignals GX1 and GX2 and disable the third group select signal GX3. Theunselected voltage supply circuit 423 may apply the second unselectedword line bias voltage WUSV2 to the first to fourth word lines WL9,WL10, WL11, and WL12 of the third word line group WG3 based on thedisabled third group select signal GX3. The word line control circuit702 may apply the selected word line bias voltage WSV to the fifthglobal word line GWL5 which is coupled with the first word line WL5 ofthe second word line group WG2. The word line control circuit 702 mayapply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to the fourthglobal word line GWL4 which is coupled with the fourth word line WL4 ofthe first word line group WG1 adjacent to the first word line WL5 andthe sixth global word line GWL6 which is coupled with the second wordline WL6 of the second word line group WG2 adjacent to the first wordline WL5. The word line control circuit 702 may apply one of the firstto third unselected word line bias voltages WUSV1, WUSV2, and WUSV3 tothe first to third global word lines GWL1, GWL2, and GWL3 which arecoupled with the first to third word lines WL1, WL2, and WL3 of thefirst word line group WG1 not adjacent to the first word line WL5 andthe seventh and eighth global word lines GWL7 and GWL8 which are coupledwith the third and fourth word lines WL7 and WL8 of the second word linegroup WG2 not adjacent to the first word line WL5. While a voltage to beapplied to the first to third global word lines GWL1, GWL2, and GWL3 andthe seventh and eighth global word lines GWL7 and GWL8 may be any one ofthe first to third unselected word line bias voltages WUSV1, WUSV2 andWUSV3, an unselected word line bias voltage which has a relatively highlevel as the position of an unselected word line is close to a selectedword line may be applied to the global word line which is coupled withthe unselected word line. For example, the word line control circuit 702may apply the first unselected word line bias voltage WUSV1 to thefourth and sixth global word lines GWL4 and GWL6, may apply the thirdunselected word line bias voltage WUSV3 to the third and seventh globalword lines GWL3 and GWL7, and may apply the second unselected word linebias voltage WUSV2 to the first, second, and eighth global word linesGWL1, GWL2, and GWL8. The word line control circuit 702 may perform anoperation similar to that described above when the fourth word line WL4of the first word line group WG1, the fourth word line WL8 of the secondword line group WG2, and the first word line WL9 of the third word linegroup WG3 are selected.

FIG. 10 shows a diagram illustrating a memory card including thesemiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with some embodiments.Referring to FIG. 10, the memory card system 4100 may include acontroller 4110, a memory 4120, and interface members 4130. Thecontroller 4110 and the memory 4120 may be configured to exchange acommand and/or data. For example, the memory 4120 may be used in storinga command to be executed by the controller 4110 and/or user data.

The memory card system 4100 may store data in the memory 4120 or outputdata from the memory 4120 to an exterior. The memory 4120 may includethe semiconductor memory apparatus according to the above-describedembodiments.

The interface members 4130 may control the input/output of data from/tothe exterior. The memory card system 4100 may be a multimedia card(MMC), a secure digital card (SD), or a portable data storage device.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram to assist in the explanation of anelectronic apparatus including the semiconductor memory apparatus inaccordance with some embodiments. Referring to FIG. 11, the electronicapparatus 4200 may include a processor 4210, a memory 4220, and aninput/output device 4230. The processor 4210, the memory 4220, and theinput/output device 4230 may be coupled through a bus 4246.

The memory 4220 may receive a control signal from the processor 4210.The memory 4220 may store a code and data for the operation of theprocessor 4210. The memory 4220 may be used to store data to be accessedthrough the bus 4246. The memory 4220 may include the semiconductormemory apparatus according to the above-described embodiments. In orderfor detailed realization and modification, additional circuits andcontrol signals may be provided.

The electronic apparatus 4200 may configure various electronic controlapparatuses which use the memory 4220. For example, the electronicapparatus 4200 may be used in a computer system, a wirelesscommunication device, for example, a PDA, a laptop computer, a notebookcomputer, a web tablet, a wireless phone, a portable phone, a digitalmusic player, an MP3 player, a navigator, a solid state disk (SSD), ahousehold appliance, or all devices capable of transmitting andreceiving information under wireless circumstances.

Descriptions appear below for the detailed realization and modifiedexamples of the electronic apparatus 4200, with reference to FIGS. 12and 13.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram illustrating a data storage deviceincluding the semiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with someembodiments. Referring to FIG. 12, a data storage device such as a solidstate disk (SSD) 4311 may be provided. The solid state disk (SSD) 4311may include an interface 4313, a controller 4315, nonvolatile memories4318, and a buffer memory 4319.

The solid state disk 4311 is a device which stores information by usinga semiconductor device. The solid state disk 4311 provides advantages inthat speed is high, additionally, a mechanical delay, a failure rate,heat generation, and noise generation decrease, and miniaturization, andlight weight may be accomplished, when compared to a hard disk drive(HDD). The solid state disk 4311 may be widely used in a notebook PC, anet book, a desktop PC, an MP3 player, or a portable storage device.

The controller 4315 may be formed adjacent to the interface 4313, and beelectrically coupled to the interface 4313. The controller 4315 may be amicroprocessor including a memory controller and a buffer controller.The nonvolatile memories 4318 may be formed adjacent to the controller4315, and be electrically coupled to the controller 4315 via connectionterminals T. The data storage capacity of the solid state disk 4311 maycorrespond to the nonvolatile memories 4318. The buffer memory 4319 maybe formed adjacent to the controller 4315, and be electrically coupledto the controller 4315.

The interface 4313 may be coupled to a host 4302, and play the role oftransmitting and receiving electrical signals such as data. For example,the interface 4313 may be a device which uses the same protocol as SATA,IDE, SCSI, and/or combination thereof. The nonvolatile memories 4318 maybe coupled to the interface 4313 via the controller 4315.

The nonvolatile memories 4318 may play the role of storing the datareceived through the interface 4313. Each of the nonvolatile memories4318 may include the semiconductor memory apparatus according toabove-described embodiments. The nonvolatile memories 4318 have acharacteristic that the data stored therein are retained even thoughpower supply to the solid state disk 4311 is cut off.

The buffer memory 4319 may include a volatile memory or a nonvolatilememory. The volatile memory may be a DRAM and/or an SRAM. Thenonvolatile memory may include the semiconductor memory apparatus 1according to above-described embodiments.

The data processing speed of the interface 4313 may be relatively fasterwhen compared to the operation speed of the nonvolatile memories 4318.The buffer memory 4319 may play the role of temporarily storing data.The data received through the interface 4313 may be temporarily storedin the buffer memory 4319 via the controller 4315, and then, bepermanently stored in the nonvolatile memories 4318 in conformity withthe data recording speed of the nonvolatile memories 4318.

The data frequently used among the data stored in the nonvolatilememories 4318 may be read in advance and be temporarily stored in thebuffer memory 4319. Namely, the buffer memory 4319 may play the role ofincreasing the effective operation speed and decreasing an erroroccurrence rate of the solid state disk 4311.

FIG. 13 shows a block diagram illustrating an electronic systemincluding the semiconductor memory apparatus in accordance with someembodiments. Referring to FIG. 13, the electronic system 4400 mayinclude a body 4410, a microprocessor unit 4420, a power unit 4430, afunction unit 4440, and a display controller unit 4450.

The body 4410 may be a motherboard which is formed by a printed circuitboard (PCB). The microprocessor unit 4420, the power unit 4430, thefunction unit 4440, and the display controller unit 4450 may be mountedto the body 4410. A display unit 4460 may be disposed inside the body4410 or outside the body 4410. For example, the display unit 4460 may bedisposed on the surface of the body 4410, and display the imageprocessed by the display controller unit 4450.

The power unit 4430 may play the role of receiving a voltage from anexternal battery or the like, divide the voltage into desired voltagelevels, and supply divided voltages to the microprocessor unit 4420, thefunction unit 4440, the display controller unit 4450, and so forth. Themicroprocessor unit 4420 may receive a voltage from the power unit 4430,and control the function unit 4440 and the display unit 4460. Thefunction unit 4440 may perform the various functions of the electronicsystem 4400. For example, in the case where the electronic system 4400is a portable phone, the function unit 4440 may include variouscomponent elements capable of performing the functions of a portablephone such as dialing, image outputting to the display unit 4460 throughcommunication with an external device 4470, voice outputting to aspeaker, and so forth. In the case where a camera is mounted together,the function unit 4440 may also play the role of a camera imageprocessor.

In the case where the electronic system 4400 is coupled with a memorycard or the like to extend capacity, the function unit 4440 may be amemory card controller. The function unit 4440 may exchange signals withthe external device 4470 through a wired or wireless communication unit4480. In the case where the electronic system 4400 needs a USB or thelike to expand functionality, the function unit 4440 may play the roleof an interface controller. The semiconductor memory apparatus inaccordance with the above-described embodiments may be applied as atleast any one of the microprocessor unit 4420 and the function unit4440.

While various embodiments have been described above, it will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the described embodimentsrepresent only a limited number of possible embodiments. Accordingly,the semiconductor memory apparatus for preventing or mitigatingdisturbance described herein should not be limited based on thedescribed embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor memory apparatus comprising: aplurality of global word lines; a plurality of word line groups eachincluding a plurality of word lines coupled with the plurality of globalword lines, respectively; and a word line control circuit configured toselect one of the plurality of word line groups based on a word lineselect signal and configured to apply different word line bias voltagesto the plurality of global word lines.
 2. The semiconductor memoryapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the different word line biasvoltages comprise at least two of a selected word line bias voltage, afirst unselected word line bias voltage, a second unselected word linebias voltage, and a third unselected word line bias voltage, wherein thefirst unselected word line bias voltage is higher than the thirdunselected word line bias voltage, wherein the third unselected wordline bias voltage is higher than the second unselected word line biasvoltage, and wherein the second unselected word line bias voltage ishigher than the selected word line bias voltage.
 3. The semiconductormemory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the word line controlcircuit applies the selected word line bias voltage to a global wordline coupled with a selected word line of a word line group selectedfrom the plurality of word line groups based on the word line selectsignal, wherein the word line control circuit applies the firstunselected word line bias voltage to a global word line coupled with aremaining word line of the selected word line group, and wherein theplurality of word lines of an unselected word line group of theplurality of word line groups are driven with the second unselected wordline bias voltage.
 4. The semiconductor memory apparatus according toclaim 2, wherein the word line control circuit applies the selected wordline bias voltage to a global word line coupled with a selected wordline of a word line group selected based on the word line select signal,wherein the word line control circuit applies the first unselected wordline bias voltage to a global word line coupled with a word lineadjacent to the selected word line in the selected word line group, andwherein the word line control circuit applies at least one of the secondunselected word line bias voltage and the third unselected word linebias voltage to a global word line coupled with a word line not adjacentto the selected word line in the selected word line group.
 5. Thesemiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:an unselected voltage supply circuit configured to apply the secondunselected word line bias voltage to the plurality of word lines of anunselected word line group among the plurality of word line groups. 6.The semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theplurality of global word lines comprises first to eighth global wordlines, the plurality of word lines comprises first to fourth word lines,the plurality of word line groups comprises first to third word linegroups, and the word line control circuit generates first to third groupselect signals based on the word line select signal, and wherein thesemiconductor memory apparatus further comprises: a first group switchconfigured to couple the first to fourth word lines of the first wordline group with the first to fourth global word lines, respectively,based on the first group select signal; a second group switch configuredto couple the first to fourth word lines of the second word line groupwith the fifth to eighth global word lines, respectively, based on thesecond group select signal, the first word line of the second word linegroup being adjacent to the fourth word line of the first word linegroup; and a third group switch configured to couple the first to fourthword lines of the third word line group with the first to fourth globalword lines, respectively, based on the third group select signal, thefirst word line of the third word line group being adjacent to thefourth word line of the second word line group.
 7. The semiconductormemory apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when the second wordline or the third word line of the second word line group is selectedbased on the word line select signal, the word line control circuitenables the second group select signal and disables the first and thirdgroup select signals, and wherein the word line control circuit appliesthe selected word line bias voltage to a global word line coupled with aselected word line, applies the first unselected word line bias voltageto a global word line coupled with a word line adjacent to the selectedword line, and applies at least one of the second unselected word linebias voltage and the third unselected word line bias voltage to a globalword line coupled with a word line not adjacent to the selected wordline.
 8. The semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 7,further comprising: an unselected voltage supply circuit configured toapply the second unselected word line bias voltage to the first tofourth word lines of the first to third word line groups based on thefirst to third group select signals.
 9. The semiconductor memoryapparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when the first word line of thesecond word line group is selected based on the word line select signal,the word line control circuit enables the first and second group selectsignals and disables the third group select signal, and wherein the wordline control circuit applies the selected word line bias voltage to thefifth global word line, applies the first unselected word line biasvoltage to the fourth and sixth global word lines, and applies at leastone of the second unselected word line bias voltage and the thirdunselected word line bias voltage to the first to third global wordlines and the seventh and eighth global word lines.
 10. Thesemiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when thefourth word line of the second word line group is selected based on theword line select signal, the word line control circuit enables thesecond and third group select signals and disables the first groupselect signal, and wherein the word line control circuit applies theselected word line bias voltage to the eighth global word line, appliesthe first unselected word line bias voltage to the first and seventhglobal word lines, and applies at least one of the second unselectedword line bias voltage and the third unselected word line bias voltageto the second to fourth global word lines and the fifth and sixth globalword lines.
 11. A semiconductor memory apparatus comprising: a word linecontrol circuit configured to apply a selected word line bias voltage toa selected word line coupled with the target memory cell and configuredto apply a word line voltage, having a voltage level between a firstunselected word line bias voltage and a second unselected word line biasvoltage, which is lower in proportion to a distance from the selectedword line to an unselected word line to which the word line voltage isapplied.
 12. The semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 11,wherein the first unselected word line bias voltage is higher than thesecond unselected word line bias voltage, and wherein the secondunselected word line bias voltage is higher than the selected word linebias voltage.